April 29: Last week saw a couple of French people in India promoting Spanish Wines at a private tasting in Mumbai and Delhi, bringing Christopher Vanpoulle, Founder CEO of Very Fine Vinos in Madrid and his Hong Kong based Export Manager Francois Bailey with 14 samples of Spanish wines from small family owned wineries with no export departments from the wine regions of Rioja, Cariňena, Bulla, La Mancha and Valencia, writes Subhash Arora who tasted them at Claridges Hotel and found a few of them excellent value-for-money wines of very good quality quite suitable for India
The difficulties in bringing new Spanish labels notwithstanding, the French duo (Vanpoulle is half French, half British married to a Spanish lady) appeared very excited and positive about introducing a few of the labels in India because of their low prices, good quality and international recognition from reputable institutions like Robert Parker, Wine Spectator and James Suckling. If what they had to offer for tasting is any indication, some of their wines do have a good potential in the Indian market. Of course, they are fully aware of the thin distribution pipe that carries the overload of several new labels pitching in to enter the crowded market but are hopeful that in the high tax regime, these wines have a positive role to play in the Indian market.
As Vanpoulle stressed, they act as the export departments of these wineries since 2010 when the company was set up to work as the Export department for Spanish wineries which needed professional experience team to develop quality distribution for their wines. ’Our wineries have a common profile which make them attractive to work with. They produce quality wines, have full ownership of the vineyards and most of them are single estates,’ said Vanpoulle and added they are well rated by the critics 
worldwide.
These were wines from 7 different wineries-14 labels of them. Some are excellent value and good quality. It was interesting to see wines some of which were from 40 year old vines (not uncommon in Spain)- many had won Gold Medals in international competitions like Mundusvini. Some had Robert Park score of 90. One wine had scored 92 from James Suckling. One needs to taste and try them to discover the occasional nuggets.
Here are the 14 wines tasted with my score out of 100. Since alcohol is an important variable from consumer point of view-I have mentioned it as well (name, alc, region, rating):
| 1. |
La Fea white Viura/chardonnay 2017 |
12.5% |
DO Cariňena |
85 |
| 2. |
Zuazo Gaston Tapas Gaston Verdejo |
12% |
Declass Rioja |
88 |
| 3. |
La Fea Blend(Temp/Garn/Syrah)2017 |
14% |
DO Cariňena |
84 |
| 4. |
La Fea Reserva 2012 Tempranillo |
13.5% |
DO Cariňena |
87 |
| 5. |
Zuazo Gaston Tapas Gaston Tempranillo |
13.5% |
Declass Rioja |
89 |
| 6. |
Zuazo Gaston Crianza Rioja 2015 |
13% |
DOC Rioja |
88 |
| 7. |
Paco Garcia Crianza 2015 Temp 90/Garn 10 |
13.5% |
DOC Rioja (Al |
89 |
| 8. |
Paco Garcia Garnacha 2016 |
14.3% |
DOC Rioja |
89 |
| 9. |
Mateos de La Higuera Vega Demara Temp.2017 |
13.5% |
DO Mancha |
86 |
| 10. |
El Albuelo Joaquin Ylirium Tempranillo 2016 |
13% |
DO LaMancha |
89 |
| 11. |
Estratos Monastrell/Syrah 2016 |
13.5% |
DO Bullas |
87 |
| 12. |
Bodega di Rosario Lorca 2015 Monastrell 85/Syrah |
15% |
DO Bullas |
89 |
| 13. |
Bodega di Rosario Lorca 2009 Monastrell |
14% |
DO Bullas |
90 |
| 14. |
Bodegas Nodus Chaval Bobal organic 2017 |
13% |
DO Valencia |
86 |
For further information, visit their website http://www.veryfinevinos.com or write to info@veryfinevinos.com. They are worth looking into by importers looking for value-for-money quaffable Spanish wines or high quality reasonably priced wines for hotels/restaurants. They are also participating in Vinexpo Hong Kong on May 29-31 at Stand D23 Level 1
Wine Map of Spain
Subhash Arora
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